The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-14
HYDROPHoBIA CURED.
A Physician Tells How He Tried an
Experiment with Chloroform.
From the Missouri Republican.

FROM the Missouri RepnbttcdR.
Usage MISSION, KAN, July 13.-Quite
an excitement was occasioned here a few
days ago by the appearance upon the main
street of the place of what is supposed to
have been mad dog The town was
crowded with people and the streets alive
with teams and wagons. The dog started
down the street, biting right and left, and
before he was killed is known to have Bit
ten several horses and dogs, but, as far as
known, the people all escaped by running
into the stores and other places OF retreat
The dog was finally shot.
In connection with this the following in
cident related by V. G. Miller, an old army
surgeon and practicing physician of
quarter of a century's experience NAV be of
interest. Mr.. Miller stated that he had
never been called on to treat but one case
of hydrophobia when it was beyond doubt
that 1t was a case of rabies. This" he
said, was when / first began the practice
of medicine. l was called one night to see
man who, the messenger said, was suffer
ing with intense spasms and nothing that
could be done would relieve him. | took
with me my medicine case and also put into
my Sack-bags a bottle of chloroform, con-
tanning about three ounces. When | ar
rived found the patient quiet,
with a rapid, irregular pulse, but
with a paroxysm which it took the
combined strength of myself and the
family to control He frothed at the
mouth, swapping and snarling like a dog.
AS soon as he was quiet | began to ask
questions of the family and soon found that
few days before ne had been bitten by a
strange dog that came into the COW lot one
morning and was swapping at the cattle.
He attempted to drive the animal out, but
the doc tIrDa1 on, him aDH itrr,1TinCr in
tiicted slight wound on his left arm. 1t
was nothing more than a scratch, had
healed up i'll day or SO and nothing more
was thought of it. From the description Of
the dog | was confident that it was the same
that few days before had been killed in the
neighborhood, undoubtedly mad, and could
no longer doubt what was the matter with
my patient. His cries when he went into
the spasms were terrible to hear. gave
him various remedies to quiet him, but
they seemingly had no effect. At this time
! happened to think of the bottle Of chloro-
form. | had then been at work on the pa
tlent for over two hours and had not been
able to give him any relief whatever, and |
was pretty well assured that the man would
die anyway. | was alone with him except
ing members of the family who would not
know the difference and determined to try
an experiment, either TO quiet the man or
kill him with the chloroform. When his
next spasm came on, | saturated a cloth
with the liquid and placed it to the patients
nose and mouth. He struggled for a long
time but at last the drug did its work and
he sank back insensible. He soon came to,
the spasm still on him, and | again treated
him in the same way This | continued
during the remainder of the night and
until 9 O'Clock the next morning,
using up all the chloroform had and send
ing for new supply several times, using in
all about three pounds. At 8 o'clock the
next morning the patient went to sleep.
When he Weakened up he acted like person
dazed, or half foolish. A Shiny, stringy Sc
erection ran out of his mouth continually,
and he seemed to have no desire for food
and for a long time would not swallow. He
gradually grew better, and in about three
weeks time he was up and about. | knew
the man afterward, doctored him and his
family. He never had another attack, and
some eight years afterward died with con-
sumption"
This is undoubtedly one of the strangest
cases on record ard, in some respects, with
out a parallel. The doctor says he can
verify the facts as stated.